title: Reversible chemical modification of the scrapie agent.
abstract: The scrapie agent causes a degenerative nervous system disease in sheep and goats. Studies with extensively purified preparations demonstrated that the agent contains a protein that is required for infectivity. Chemical modification of the scrapie agent by diethyl pyrocarbonate reduced the titer 1000-fold. Exposure of the inactivated agent to hydroxylamine, a strong nucleophile, resulted in complete restoration of infectivity. Presumably, nucleophilic residues within a scrapie agent protein undergo carbethoxylation on reaction with diethyl pyrocarbonate, and subsequent addition of hydroxylamine displaces these carbethoxy groups.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D006224:Cricetinae; D004047:Diethyl Pyrocarbonate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006639:Histidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011328:Prions; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000494:pharmacology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011328:Prions; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D006639:Histidine; D012260:Ribonucleases; D004047:Diethyl Pyrocarbonate